


Good things happen in empty offices

by howisthataparty



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avengers Tower, Christmas, F/M, Mistletoe shenanigans, Tony Stark Is Not Helping, errybody - Freeform, no one is safe, pepper is rescue in real life, the whole team is there ok, tony stark is also an obnoxious bastard, with a ginormous love for christmas at the same time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-29
Updated: 2014-08-29
Packaged: 2018-02-15 05:44:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2217948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/howisthataparty/pseuds/howisthataparty
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony Stark never does anything halfway. This includes planting mistletoe at his Christmas party where Natasha and Clint, still tight lipped about their "relationship", are his first victims.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Good things happen in empty offices

Christmas parties. The tinny sounds of a Christmas tree being shaken by curious hands or unsteady bodies, glasses clinking, and fairly enthusiastic conversation that covered the room like a blanket. (Thumping music with a heavy baseline didn’t help matters any.)

Natasha just wanted to get out from under it.

Not that Natasha exactly hated Christmas, but it was the hoopla and and the glaring beams of red and green that began showing up in the middle of November that drove her nuts. Add those factors to her being very unused to the ridiculousness of the holiday, having never really celebrated it herself. Red Room girls didn’t get that kind of luxury; what they knew how to do was exploit things like it, not partake.

Back in present day, in true Tony Stark style, Avengers Tower was lit up in a myriad of Christmas light strings at the very top of the building and city dwellers could see the party lights from miles away. Classic rock (Tony) blared in between slightly more tasteful, for the occasion at least, Christmas songs and carols (Pepper). 

At least an hour had gone by before Natasha felt her stoic resolve crumbling at the edges. There was only so much she could handle in a domestic setting, and this was about the limit. The last thing she wanted to do right now was have to work on a day off. Neatly ending a murmured conversation with Bruce, she crossed the room in efficient, high heeled strides.

”Clint —- I think I’m done for the night,” was whispered in his ear, hardly enough to tickle but loud enough that the archer heard her clearly. The next thing she heard was a loud “ooooh,” from none other than Tony, a collective gasp from the room following. In the very background she heard Thor mumbling something to Jane in question.

”Looks like you two are our first victims of the night!” Waltzing forward with a flute of champagne in his hand, Stark looked entirely too smug for Natasha’s liking, but she looked at him long enough to see his gaze flit upwards toward the ceiling. Her eyes followed.

…….Shit.

Not celebrating Christmas on an annual basis didn’t mean that Natasha didn’t know Christmas customs - oh, she knew them - but in her haste to escape she’d neglected to watch out for the one thing that Tony Stark would absolutely have planted somewhere in order to get a merry show.

Mistletoe.

Clint’s eyes, formerly locked on her, wandered upwards quickly. Natasha could feel him stiffen a moment later. Public displays of anything had been a silent agreement between them: don’t display. So much so that neither had put any kind of label on their “relationship” at all, not even going so far as to call it a relationship. This whole kissing in front of people for shits and giggles thing wasn’t going to happen. Both Clint and Natasha came to that conclusion mentally before Natasha even began to respond.

”Oh, I’m so sorry Tony. Not happening.” There wasn’t an ounce of regret in her voice.” 

”If you think you’re getting out of it that easily, you’re mistaken, Red.” Her whole body went subtly rigid; Clint was the only one close enough to feel, and he dared to barely curve his hand around Natasha’s waist. Tony didn’t miss it.

”It’s not our thing, Stark, can you really blame us? I mean come on, it’s kind of embarrassing.” The archer tried for a joking smile to throw out a feeling of decidedly-not-pissed-off. It was worth a shot.

”No way. It’s Christmas, this occurs but once a year!” The jolliness was nauseating. 

”If you had your way, it’d be five or more,” the redhead ground out beneath her breath.

”Besides, it’s not like everyone doesn’t already know that you two have a thing going on. This’ll just supplement it. Cement it. I think you should —” and here Pepper swooped to the rescue. She whispered disapprovingly in Tony’s ear while simultaneously giving a sympathetic sidelong glance to Clint and Natasha. But alas, Tony was taking no advice. 

”Guys, seriously, what’s the big deal? Normal people do this all the time!”

That was it. Clint knew a too-taut bowstring when he felt it and Natasha fit the bill right at that instant. She was by no means normal and didn’t claim to be such. 

”Hey, give us a sec, will you?” Clint didn’t let Tony protest, but steered Natasha away from the blaring music and the obnoxious inventor with a gentle but determined hand. The last thing he needed was for her to snap on him. Down a hallway and through the doorway to an empty office was some peace, and there Clint eased the door almost closed before sighing.

”Of all things, why —”

”Nat.” Her green eyes shot up to Clint’s blue ones; it wasn’t often that anyone in their right minds dared interrupt the Black Widow. Hawkeye was one of the select very few that could. His voice was soft.

”This is Tony. Don’t take it personally.”

”I’m not taking it personally,” Natasha insisted, “I’m just over him thinking he can put any of us in any position and it be alright.” Silence sat between them for a spell until Clint opened his mouth, breath catching minutely.

”Do you…..Are you embarrassed?”

If he’d heard right, he could have sworn an almost shocked choke stuttered from Natasha’s throat. “What? Am I…..no, of us? No, I……..” In a very small show of vulnerability that Clint did not miss, the redhead bit her lip. “Not at all, I’m just……I’d rather keep it between us. Things like this aren’t for show. They’re….personal. I didn’t have personal for a long time. We hardly do now, in our line of work.” She drew in a barely shuddering breath.

”This, whatever this is, is a private thing that I’d rather not share.” Gradually, she brought her eyes up to meet his again, almost shy, like she was nervous about what she’d just shared. This chilled Clint a little. The Black Widow was never nervous……..but maybe Natasha Romanoff was. Very rarely, but once in a while. Everyday he was finding out something new about her.

A smile crawled onto his face, and he brought a hand hesitantly up to her cheek. She didn’t draw away. Clint considered this permission to step closer. One step, then two, leaving less than an inch between them.

”I get that,” Clint murmured, leaning just a little bit farther toward her until he met her lips. Natasha didn’t resist, but pushed forward the tiniest bit.

It wasn’t a kiss that any average person would think meant something, but it did. This was Natasha trusting. This was her agreeing that there was something that she and Clint had, and that meant more to Clint than he could ever communicate. Strong hands fluttered around her waist before taking hold, pulling her the remaining minuscule fraction forward until nothing could pass between them but air. Hardly that. All their motions were soft, very unlike both their natures, but this was a special occasion.

The ministrations went on for no more than a minute before Natasha inched backwards.

”They’re going to send someone out to look for us.” Clint promptly rolled his eyes.

”Fuck it, let them. We’re taking care of something.” With no warning he captured her lips again, adding a hint of pressure this time. Natasha smiled a little into this one, going so far as to wrap her arms around Clint’s neck. Soon his hands were encircling her hips possessively.

Things were getting a little more involved when a holler from down the hall forced them to break things up yet again.

“Ugh. You’re right, we’d better get back out there,” Clint groaned mournfully. Left hand still around Natasha’s waist, he shrugged. “Doesn’t mean we have to give Stark what he wants, though.” That made Natasha genuinely smile.

Less than a minute later, two assassins materialized from a darkened hallway, side by side, re-mingling into the small crowd as if they’d never gone missing. Tony, again, did not miss this. What kind of party thrower would he be if he did? Half a “Hey!” was out of his mouth before a nearby Pepper grabbed hold of his arm and a miffed Captain of justice sent a withering, accusatory look Stark’s way. That silenced the man for the time being. No matter how much Tony acted like Natasha didn’t make him nervous, he knew not to mess with her and Pepper and Steve. God forbid Clint join the group too.

The party was winding to a close when Clint and Natasha once more found themselves in a darker corner dangerously near the hanging white berries of Mistletoe. The tiniest of private smiles was exchanged, and Tony saw from across the room. He smiled his own smile, laughing quietly to himself.

”I’ll be damned. They really are together.”

He’d turned his back before he could see them kiss under the mistletoe for real.

**Author's Note:**

> Tumblr rp drabble prompt.  
> If any of you ever want to request drabbles or stories of any kind (I rp on tumblr so drabbles are my lifeblood and oxygen), feel free to say so in the comments or boop me on my personal tumblr, houseromanova.


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